Court rules Ontario lawsuit against tobacco companies can proceed
Posted January 6, 2012 5:10 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Ontario Superior Court of Justice has cleared the path for the Ontario government to move ahead with a $50-billion lawsuit against tobacco companies.
The lawsuit was launched in 2009 in an attempt to recover health care costs associated with smoking.
The foreign owned tobacco companies submitted an application to have the suit dismissed on the basis that the court had no jurisdiction over them.
However, on Friday, the court rejected that application, allowing the province to continue to pursue the legislation.
Attorney General John Gerretson calls it a crucial legal decision.
“The fact that we have jurisdiction to take on some of the foreign tobacco companies is a good thing for the people of Ontario in the long run,” he explained.
“We’re trying to make some recovery for some of the additional health care costs that have been paid out by the province in one way or another for at least the last thirty or forty years, with respect to the effects of smoking on people.”
Gerretson also acknowledged the dichotomy of tobacco.
“Smoking causes increased health problems and obviously increased health expenditures as well in dealing with the various health issues. But on the other hand, for collecting taxes with respect to tobacco smoking as well.”
Michael Perley of the Ontario Campaign for Action on Tobacco told 680News a public court case against cigarette manufacturers could turn up the pressure on manufacturers.
“(It would) increase the climate for more regulation, stricter control. They’re already somewhat strictly controlled in certain respects but basically their products are still available on every street corner and every convenience store,” he said.
The suit alleges that tobacco companies deceived the public about the risk of their products, promoted cigarettes to children and failed to warn the public about the dangers of smoking.
Perley added that the last thing the tobacco manufacturers want is to wind up in front of a judge.
“Where the Canadian people can see and hear directly from evidence given in court, information about their history of marketing to kids, lying about research results and the whole panoply of dishonest and deceptive tactics.”
Smoking is the leading cause of pre mature death and illness in Ontario.
